Falling in Love
Psalms 63:1-5 (NRSV)
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips.
Psalms 42:1-2 (NRSV)
1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.
Do you recall the first time you ever felt the presence of God? It might have been while hearing a sermon, or listening to a choir sing, “How Great Thou Art.” His presence might have felt so heavy that you could scarcely wait for the altar call. And then, after falling on your knees in humility, that heaviness was lifted and replaced with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. And for a long time afterward, you wanted nothing more than to be in the presence of God. You read your Bible, even though there were parts you did not understand. You never missed a church service. You listened to Christian music, and you were the first to volunteer for opportunities to serve. You had fallen in love with God—He was your portion, your inheritance, and you knew He was all you would ever need.
But life has a way of getting in the way of even love of the purest kind. You began to miss days reading the Word, your prayers were shortened to Please and Thank You. Someone told you about a great song on a popular station and you switched over from Christian radio. Before too long, you began to skip church—you were so tired and there were so many other things to do.
But the thing you don’t understand is that the more often you miss going to church, the less you miss being in church. You still love God, of course, but you are no longer in love with Him. The sad thing is that your relationship with God has changed, and you scarcely notice.
This scenario happens all too often as we struggle to balance all of the areas of our lives. But our world has slipped into chaos. My heart is heavy much of the time because man’s cruelty to man has reached new depths. And I know the only thing that will help me is to stay in love with God.
David was a man who knew the heights of joy and the depths of despair. When counseling
folks I’ve always suggested reading two books of the Bible every day—the gospel of John and the Psalms. I love John because it is such an intimate account of Jesus’ life, and the Psalms because David experienced all of the highs and lows of life, but still he loved God.
Our pastors are preaching on Jonah and I found myself comparing the behavior of Jonah and David. When David got into trouble, he didn’t blame God. In Psalm 51 David admits his sin. But in the second chapter of Jonah, the prophet blames God for his predicament. One man accepts responsibility. The other man shifts the responsibility. One man prays before, during and after the battle. The other man only prays in the belly of the fish.
So which man had fallen in love with God? With which man would you rather identify?
Choose to fall in love with God. Choose a lasting relationship with God. Pray before and after the battle like David. Do not wait until you are in the belly of the fish.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 